All posts tagged Controversial artists

Goldfish in a blender? Anyone familiar with some of the more provocative work of Marco Evaristti may think he’s downright cruel, or just out to get attention.

Thirteen years ago, the Chilean artist made headlines and ruffled feathers with “Helena & El Pescador.”

The piece debuted in at the Trapholt museum in Kolding, Denmark, and consisted of goldfish swimming in ten Moulinex blenders. Visitors were given a choice: hit the ON button and kill the fish, or leave the button alone as a way of granting pardon.

The director of the gallery, Peter Meyer, was sued for the work because he would not unplug the blenders after police demanded it. But the court decided not to convict Meyer.

The artist, his goldfish and blenders are back in Kolding, this time for a retrospective on his body of work in celebration of Evaristti’s 50th birthday.

But “Helena” is now potentially less offensive: Instead of putting live fish in water and tempting the masses to kill, the goldfish are dead and preserved in transparent jelly, but still in a blender.

During an interview in his Copenhagen studio, Evaristti said he knows his work stirs emotion, but explained that “all this cruelty originates from me being a humanist.” Read More »

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.